Hanger toggle mechanism



July 27, 1965 o. A. SWANSON 3,197,095

HANGER TOGGLE MECHANISM Filed April 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR.OscarA. Swanson July 27, 1965 o. A. SWANSON HANGER TOGGLE MECHANISM- 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1963 Fig.8 Fig.9

INVENTOR. Osca r'A. Swanson United States Patent $37,995 TUGGLE MEHANISMGscar Alwed Swanson, 556 Almar Ava, Pacific Palisades, Qalif. Filed Apr.5, 1%3, er. No. 271,fi22 7 Claims. (ill. 223-96) This invention relatesto toggle type mechanisms adapted to construction and mounting in amanner such that the component parts thereof are integral and actuallyall the supporting structure of an improved garment hanger of theclamping type.

A general object of my invention, as disclosed herein, is to provide agarment hanger with integral toggle type mechanism, incorporating meansfor biasing operating parts of the hanger to positions to which lastoperated and wherein spring means are integral with the structure.

A further object of my invention is to provide a garment hanger readilyoperable without removal from the hanger clothes rod. Hand grips areprovided on the clamp members by which the hanger is operated.

An additional object of my invention, as disclosed herein, to provide arugged and simple mechanism dependable in operation, and which is madeof relatively few parts and may be manufactured at low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and accompanying drawings in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a garment hanger toggle mechanismwhich embodies a form of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the disclosed garment hanger togglemechanism, wherein the mechanism is shown in a position holding theclamping members closed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the disclosed invention wherein themechanism is shown in a position holding the clamp members open;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view depicting certain operatingcharacteristics and movements of the spring link shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and3;

FIG. 5 is a modification of FIGS. 1-4 inclusive, depicting certainoperating characteristics and movements of a modified toggle link andrelated structure;

FIG. 6 is a further modification of FIGS. 1-4 inclusive, depictingcertain operating characteristics and movements of a modified togglespring link and related structure;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a further modification of FIGS.1-4 inclusive, depicting a modified structure.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a further modification of FIGS. 1-4inclusive, and wherein it is in a position holding the clamp membersclosed;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a further modification of FIGS. 1-4inclusive, and wherein it is in a position holding the clamp membersopen;

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the modification of FIGS. l-4inclusive, shown in FIGS. 7-9 inclusive, depicting certain operatingcharacteristics and movements of the toggle mechanism;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of an additional modification of FIGS.71() inclusive, wherein a compression coiled toggle spring link is used.

In use, the illustrated garment hanger toggle mechanism is manuallyoperated by hand grasping of clamp members, hand grips and pulling firomclamped to open position. To clamp on the garment, the clamp members arepushed at the hand grips.

Having reference to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 to 5inclusive, wherein one form of the invention is shown for illustrativepurposes, the pair of clamp members 20 and 21 are made of plastic orwood or other similar material. The clamp members have openings whichare adapted for rigid fastening of the end portions of two rods 22 and23 which support said clamp members.

The rods 22 and 23 are hingedly connected to each other at twohorizontally aligned portions to form a hinge 24 about which clampmembers 20 and 21 are swingable between clamping and open positions. Therods 22 and 23 have formed central portions 25 and 26 respectively whichat their midpoints are horizontally parallel to each other in frontelevational View as shown in FIG. 1, and lie in a vertical plane in theside elevational view as shown in FIG. 2. Spring toggle link 27 hasopposite end portions rotatably connected to rods 22 and 23 at themidpoints of their formed central portions 25 and 26 respectively,providing a fixed axis at rod 22 connection and a movable axis at itsconnection to rod 23.

Rod 22 has a central portion 25 of which the mid-point provides a fixedaxis of rotation for link 27 to swing through angle indicated by letterD in FIG. 4. Rod 22, at hinge portion 24, provides a fixed axis ofrotation for rod 23 to swing through the angle indicated by letter Cshown in FIG. 4.

Rod 23 has a central portion 26 of which the mid-point provides arotatable and movable axis for link 27, said axis movable through angleE indicated in FIG. 4.

The rods 22 and 23, their central portions 25 and 26 respectively, andthe spring link 27 are arranged and adapted to each other to form atoggle mechanism. Link 27 is made of resilient material and is a togglespring biasing the rods 22 and 23 and attached clamp members to aclamping position or an open position when the mechanism is operated.Link 27 is stressed and exerts sufiicient force in the clamped positionto securely hold garments. Link 27 deflects a maximum amount at toggleon center position, indicated by letter C shown in FIG. 4.

The upper end portion 28 of spring link 27 is of hook shape in orderthat the hanger may be supported from a clothes rod.

In FIG. 5, the toggle mechanism is modified with the use of a link 29.The rod 23 is made of resilient material and its central portion 26 actsas a spring biasing the rods 22 and 23 and attached clamp members toeither a clamped or open position when the hanger is actuated. Centralportion 26 of rod 23 is held stressed in the clamped position by link 29and held unstressed by said link in the open position.

In FIG. 6, the toggle mechanism is further modified by the use of acoiled tension spring 35 which is adapted to function in the same manneras spring link 27.

Another modified structure of my garment hanger toggle mechanism isillustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10 inclusive wherein the mechanism parts,including the clamp members 20 and 22 the rod 22, and the link 29, areessentially the same as those described and these parts are each adaptedto function in the manner described- The double torsion spring 32 ishingedly connected to rod 22 at two horizontally aligned portions,wherein the two coiled spring portions 33 of spring 32 together with rod22 form a hinge about which clamp members 26 and 2.1 are swingablebetween clamping and open positions. The end portions of the torsionspring 32 are attached to clamp member 21.

In the clamped position, the torsion spring 32 is held stressed by link29. In the open position, the torsion spring 32 is held unstressed bylink 29. When the mechanism is on toggle on center position, centralportion 34 of torsion spring 32 is deflected downward a maximum amount,indicated'by the letter G in FIG. 10.

In FIG. 11, the toggle mechanism of that illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 16inclusive is modified by the use of a coiled compression toggle spring36 wherein it replaces link 29 and rod 37 replaces torsion spring 32.Toggle spring 36 exerts biasing force to rods 22 and 37 to hold clampmembers 2t) and 21 to the last position actuated, said support rodsandspring adapted to each other to .form a toggle mechanism. 7

In FIGS 1 to 11 inclusive, an additional modification is anticipatedwherein the resiliency of all said members of the toggle mechanismisutilized by their being adapted to each other to exert biasing force tohold mechanism to the last position to which it is actuated.

While I have illustrated and described my invention as a garment hanger,I do not wish to be limited specifically to only that use. There aremany possible uses for this mechanism, such as: clamp mechanism forholding papers, documents and drawings to a board; hanger mechanism forholding parts to an over-head. conveyor line in a .fac-, tory; hangerfor holding documets and various correspondence on a wall. i

From the above description of several typical illustrative forms. of,the invention, the underlying principles thereof will be readilygathered. it is of course to be understood, however,- that theparticular embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are forillustrative purposes only, and that various changes in design,structure and,

arrangement may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscopeof the invention or of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newand desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is :7

- 1. A garment hanger toggle mechanism, the combinaportions of the firstand second support rods providing a fixed axis at the first support rodconnection and a movable axis at its connection to the second supportrod, said two fixed axes and the movable axis being disposed relative toone anotherat positions in which they define the vertices of a triangleof variable shape, saidtriangle having the movable axis as its apex andspacedto one side ofthe base in the clamps closed position and the otherside in the clamps open position, said triangle base being formed by thetwo fixed axes, which triangle is swingable about the two fixed axesduring operation of the hanger mechanism to positions such that themovable axis crosses a plane extending through the two fixed axes, andso that a plane passing through the fixed and movable axes of the secondsupport rod and a plane passing through the fixed and movable axes ofthe toggle spring link move through varying relative angles as the clampmembers are actuated effecting movement of the mechanism, said anglebetween the planes becoming zero at a position intermediate the clampsclosed and open positions at which position the toggle mechanism is ondead-center, said toggle spring link being mounted stressed and exertingbiasing force against the two support rods, whereby the two clampmembers are biased to the position last actuated, and said toggle springlink having a hook form on the end portion above its fixed axis ofrotation.

2. In a garment hanger toggle mechanism as defined'in claim 1, andwherein said hook form is attached to the first support rod near itsmid-point.

3. A garment hanger toggle mechanism, the combination comprising, twoclamp members having integral mechanism actuator hand-grips, first andsecond support and second support rods providing a fixed axis at thefirst support connection and a movable axis at its connection 4. rods,each of which have ends attached to and supporting said clamp members,said second support rod having integrally formed torsion spring coils aspart of its structure, said integrally formed torsion spring coilportions of the second support rod having an axis substantiallycoincident with the axis of the first support rod at two horizontallyaligned portions to provide a hinge with a fixed axis of rotation aboutwhich the second support rod and attached clamp member is swingablebetween closed and open positions, a rigid toggle link having oppositeend portions, said rods having central horizontal portions, saidopposite end portions rotatably connected to the central horizontalportions of the first and second support rods providing a fixed axis atthe first support rod connection and a movable axis at its connection tothe second support rod, said two fixed axes and the movable axis beingdisposed relative to one another at positions in which they define thevertices of a triangle of variable shape, said triangle having movableaxis as its apex and spaced to one side of the base in the clamps closedposition and the other side in the clanips open position, said trianglebase being formed by the two fixedaxes, which triangle is swingableabout the two fixed axes during operation of the hanger mechanism topositions such that the movable axis crosses a plane extending throughthe two fixed axes,

and so that a plane passing through the fixed and movable axes of therigid toggle link and a plane passing through the fixed and movable axesof the second support rod move through varying relative angles as theclamp members are actuated effecting movement of the mechanism, saidmovable planes coinciding at a position intermediate the clamps closedand open positions at which position the toggle mechanism is ondead-centenrsaid second support rod integral torsion spring coils beingmounted stressed and exerting biasing force against the rigid togglelink and the first support rod, whereby the two clamp members are biasedto the position last actuated, and said rigid toggle link having a hookform on the end portion above its fixed axis of rotation.

4. .A garment hanger toggle .mechanism as defined in claim 1 and whereina coiled tension spring is used as a toggle spring link having oppositeend portions rotatably connected to the central horizontal portions ofthe first to the second support rod, said toggle spring link exertingbiasing force to hold the mechanism in the last positionv to which it isactuated.

5. A garment hanger toggle mechanism as defined in claim 3 and wherein acoiled compression spring is used as a toggle spring link havingopposite end portions rotatably connected to the central horizontalportions of the first and second support rods providing a fixed axis atthe first support rod connection and a movable axis at its connection tothe second support, rod, said toggle spring link exerting biasing forceto hold the mechanism in the last position to which it is actuated.

' 6. A garment hanger toggle mechanism, the combination comprising, twoclamp members having integral mechanism actuator hand-grips, first andsecond support rods, each of which have ends attached to and supportingsaid clamp members, said first and second support rods hingedlyconnected to each other at two horizontally aligned portions to providea fixed axis of rotation about which the second support rod and attachedclamp member is swingable between closed and open positions, a rigidtoggle spring link having opposite end portions, said rods havingresilient horizontal portions, said opposite end portions rotatablyconnected to the resilient central horizontal portions of the first andvsecond support rods providing a fixed axis at the first support rodconnection and a movable axis at its connection to the second supportrod, said two fixed axes and the movable axis being disposed relative toone another at positions in which they define the vertices of a triangleof variable shape, said triangle having the movable axis as its apexwhich is spaced to one side of the base in the clamps closed positionand the other side in the clamps open position, said triangle base isformed by the two fixed axes, which triangle is swingable about the tWofixed axes during opera tion of the hanger mechanism to positions suchthat the movable axis crosses a plane extending through the two fixedaxes, and so that a plane passing through the fixed and movable axes ofthe rigid toggle link and a plane passing through the fixed and movableaxes of the second support rod move through varying relative angles asthe clamp members are actuated effecting movement of the mechanism, saidangle between planes becoming zero at a position intermediate theclam-ps closed and open positions at which position the toggle mechanismis on deadcenter, said rigid toggle link being mounted to stress thecentral resilient portions of the first and second support rods causingthem to exert a tension biasing force Within Reerenees Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 886,642 3/08 Rohde 22396 2,374,689 5/45Larsen 22396 2,610,775 9/52 Stager 223-96 2,662,675 12/53 \Valker 223962,920,801 1/60 Batts 223-96 3 RDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. DAVID J.WILLEAMOWSKY, Examiner.

1. A GARMENT HANGER TOGGLE MECHANISM, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, TWOCLAMP MEMBERS HAVING INTEGRAL MECHANISM ACTUATOR HAND-GRIPS, FIRST ANDSECOND SUPPORT RODS, EAHC OF WHICH HAVE ENDS ATTACHED TO AND SUPPORTINGSAID CLAMP MEMBERS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORT RODS HINGEDLYCONNECTED TO EAHC OTHER AT TWO HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED PORTIONS TO PROVIDEA FIXED AXIS OF ROTATION ABOUT WHICH THE SECOND SUPPORT ROD AND ATTACHEDCLAMP MEMBER IS SWINGABLE BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPEN POSITIONS, A STRESSEDTOGGLE SPRING LINK HAVING OPPOSITE END PORTIONS, SAID RODS HAVINGCENTRAL HORIZONTAL PORTIONS, SAID OPPOSITE END PORTIONS ROTATABLYCONNECTED TO THE CENTRAL HORIZONTAL PORTIONS OF THE FIRST AND SECONDSUPPORT RODS PROVIDING A FIXED AXIS AT THE FIRST SUPPORT ROD CONNECTIONAND A MOVABLE AXIS AT ITS CONNECTION TO THE SECOND SUPPORT ROD, SAID TWOFIXED AXES AND THE MOVABLE AXIS BEING DISPOSED RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHERAT POSITIONS IN WHICH THEY DEFINE THE VERTICES OF A TRIANGLE OF VARIABLESHAPE, SAID TRIANGLE HAVING THE MOVABLE AXIS AS ITS APEX AND SPACED TOONE SIDE OF THE BASE IN THE CLAMP''S CLOSED POSITION AND THE OTHER SIDEIN THE CLAMP''S OPEN POSITION, SAID TRIANGLE BASE BEING FORMED BY THETWO FIXED AXES, WHICH TRIANGLE IS SWINGABLE ABOUT THE TWO FIXED AXESDURING OPERATION OF THE HANGER MECHANISM TO POSITIONS SUCH THAT THEMOVABLE AXIS CROSSED A PLANE EXTENDING THROUGH THE TWO FIXED AXES, ANDSO THAT A PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE FIXED AND MOVABLE AXES OF THE SECONDSUPPORT ROD AND A PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE FIXED AND MOVABLE AXES OFTHE TOGGLE SPRING LINK MOVE THROUGH VARYING RELATIVE ANGLES AS THE CLAMPMEMBERS ARE ACTUATED EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF THE MECHANISM, SAID ANGLEBETWEEN THE PLANES BECOMING ZERO AT A POSITION INTERMEDIATE THE CLAMP''SCLOSED AND OPEN POSITIONS AT WHICH POSITION THE TOGGLE MECHANISM IS ONDEAD-CENTER, SAID TOGGLE SPRING LINK BEING MOUNTED STRESSED AND EXERTINGBIASING FORCE AGAINST THE TWO SUPPORT RODS, WHEREBY THE TWO CLAMPMEMBERS ARE BIASED TO THE POSITION LAST ACTATED, AND SAID TOGGLE SPRINGLINK HAVING A HOOK FORM ON THE END PORTION ABOVE ITS FIXED AXIS OFROTATION.